Southport Offshore Rescue Trust is an independent charity that provides a 24-hour lifesaving service around the Southport coast

News : New Inshore Lifeboat to be named at public event

Southport Lifeboat’s new inshore lifeboat will be officially named and blessed on Saturday 21st April at the Waterside Lodge on the Marine Lake.

The D-Class IB1 lifeboat will be named “Christopher Taylor” in memory of a 21 year old Southport man who sadly lost his life in the River Avon, Bath, in 2014.

The naming ceremony is open for everyone to attend, will start at 2.00pm at the Waterside Lodge on Marine Drive, Southport. Invited guests and VIPs will be welcomed inside the Lodge after the ceremony and demonstration for refreshments.

Costing £67,000 from the RNLI, the Southport Offshore Rescue Trust were awarded a £33,825 grant by the Department for Transport to cover half of the cost of the vessel.

The remaining funds were raised through the lifeboat charity shop on Everton Road, players of LifeboatLotto and kind donations by the public.

Nick Porter, Trustee Director and a Coxswain said; “We hope many of you can attend the naming ceremony and make it a memorable day. As an independent charity, funds are generally come from the local area, so it is important for us to share this day with you.”

The “Christopher Taylor” is the same IB1 lifeboat design that is currently used at over 100 RNLI stations around Britain, and benefits from an improved design from the older model previously used at Southport. It is primarily used for shallow waters and on the Marine Lake, however is currently acting as the main vessel for Southport whilst the Southport Lifeboat “Heather White” is away for refit.

Mark Hesketh, a Coxswain of the Southport Lifeboat said; 'The new lifeboat vastly improves our ability to perform rescues on the Marine Lake and in shallow water off Southport, providing a faster response and better equipment than we previously had.

'The old ILB was bought second hand from the RNLI in 2005 and has been a reliable servant and training boat for us, however it has begun to deteriorate and it's been evident for the past few of years that it needs replacing soon.'

Nick Porter continued; 'As everyone knows we have been working tirelessly to raise funds for a new lifeboat station for Southport. Being awarded over £30,000 by the DfT's Inshore and Inland Rescue Boat Grant Scheme has meant that we were able to order the boat whilst still working the new boathouse scheme.

'All of the Volunteers are striving to provide the best rescue service we can, and when the Heather White returns from her refit we will have two of the best lifeboats money can buy, soon to be housed in a purpose built lifeboat station in a prominent location.'

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